Sign.



No. 659,875. Patehted Oct. I6, I900.

c. s. SERGEANT & H. L. LIBBY.

SIGN.

(Application'flled Dec. 11, 1899.)

(No Model.)

'jv'm e Z; 01%

CHARLES S. SERGEANT, OF BROOKLINE, AND HARRY L. LlllBY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGN.

SEEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,875, dated October 16, 1900.

Application filed December 11, 1899. Serial No. 739,940. (No model.)

To (oZZ whom it may 007L067: vices, so that the frames themselves or, more Beitknown thatwe,CHARLES S. SERGEANT, commonly, the signs where the frame is not of Brookline, county of Norfolk, and HARRY employed may be taken out and others sub- L. LIBBY, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State stituted. 55 of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve- Figure l is a partial front elevation, with ,1. ment in Signs, of which the following descripparts broken away, of the hood of the car tion, in connection with the accompanying having a sign embodying the invention apdrawings, is aspecification, like letters on the plied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof drawings representing like parts. similarly broken and Fig.3 isa side elevation, 6o 10 The present invention relates to a sign appartly in section, showing in full and dotted paratus for street-cars, and is shown as emlines the normal and intermediate positions bodied in a reversible sign apparatus preferof the sign. ably located at the end of the car, the inven- In the construction shown the sign memtion consisting in certain details of construebers a are indicated as formed of sheet metal 15 tion and arrangement whereby a large numhaving the proper words painted on opposite ber of designations may be selectively emsides, the said members being capable of con ployed with a single sign apparatus, while nection with the reversible sign apparatus, any two designations which are being used at which is shown as consisting of a frame Z), in the same time may be easily reversed at the any suitable or usual way, as by sliding said 20 end of the route. members or sign-slides, as they will be The invention further consists in an illuhereinafter called, into channels Win the re minating device for the signs of novel conversible sign apparatus. a struction and arrangement whereby the signs Each sign-slide is shown as provided with a are rendered easily legible after dark. strengthening-head a alongits edge, the said 25 The invention is herein shown as embodied beads fitting the sockets N, which are open in a sign apparatus for the end of the car, the at their ends, so that the sign-slides a may be said sign apparatus being rotatably mounted removed or inserted by sliding them endwise. in brackets below the hood, which may be In order to protect the faces of the sign-slides provided with a curved reflector containing both when in use and when not in use, the 30 one or more lamps, the said reflector being beads are arranged to project laterally beso shaped as to shield the lamps and prevent yond each face of the sign-slide, so that the L them from being seen from the front and at characters will not be rubbed or worn durthe same time to reflect the rays of light upon ing the insertion or removal of the signs the sign below. The reversible member may or when they are not in use and are put 3 5 have diiferent names or designations painted away. It is obvious, however, that in cases upon opposite sides, or it may consist, as where frequent changes are not necessary herein shown, of a frame or supporting memthe proper words may be painted directly ber adapted to contain removable sign inemupon the reversible member I), which in this bers capable of being readily inserted or apcase would itself constitute the sign proper, 4o plied, so that by having a number of such re and may therefore be termed the sign.

movable members each with different desig- The said sign I) is shown as provided at its nations on opposite sides as many changesas ends with projections b arranged to be supdesired may be made with very little trouble. ported by hook-shaped supports or hangers o, The said reversible memberwill be hereinafsecured to the under side of the hood A, there 45 ter referred to for convenience as the sign, being a sufficient space between the hood and since it really constitutes the sign proper the end of the hook member of each hanger whether the designation is painted on it or on to permit the ready removal of the sign by a detachable sign member. The supporting simply turning the same half around, as inbrackets for the sign are so arranged that the dicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3, and then lift- I00 50 sign apparatus may be bodily removed and ing the same until the projections 12 clear the replaced without the use of any fastening deends of the hook. The said supports 0 thus ative positions, the said sign is provided with a holding device cl, shown as a retainingspring, suitably connected with the hood and having a curved portion d arranged to engage a projection 6 thus holding the sign in place, but readily yielding when the sign is to be turned.

When the sign is in the form of a frame,

as shown, to hold the detachable sign-slides a the guides or channels 6 are placed sufficiently far apart to allow the sign-slides to clear the hangers or supports 0, so that the said sign-slides can be taken out and reversed or replaced by others without taking down the reversible sign apparatus. The said channels 5 are shown as provided at one end only with stops b to arrest the slides, which are inserted from the opposite end when said slides are properly positioned.

A further feature of the invention consists in the means for illuminating the sign, the hood of the car being shown as provided at its end with a projecting shield e, which is curved so as to inclose one or more lamps f, but which terminates at such a point that there is an open space 6 adjacent to the face of the sign. The inner surface of the said shield is a reflecting-surface, so that the rays of light are directed toward the face of the sign, the lamps themselves being hidden from view, so that as a car is approaching the sign can be easily seen. So far as relates to this feature of the invention it is obviously immaterial whether the sign is reversible or not, the essential feature residing in the location of the lamps just below the end of the hood, the reflecting-shield projecting beyond the end of the hood and the sign located underneath the hood at the rear of the lamps and shield. By locating the lamps just below the edge of the hood a portion of the light is reflected back over the top of the sign, which, as shown, is separated from the platformroof, this light materially aiding in the illumination of the platform without, however,

dazzling the motorman, whose face is completely shielded from the light by the sign itself.

We claim 1. The combination with the hood or platform-roof of a car of a reversible sign mounted in supports secured to the under side of said hood; and a spring locking device also secured to and projecting from the hood and overlying the sign to engage either edge thereof which is uppermost, as set forth.

2. The combination with the hood or platform-roof of a car; of hook-shaped supports, one member of each support being secured to and projecting down from the said hood, and the hooked end of the other member being separated from the under side of the hood by a distance greater than the thickness of the sign; bearing projections at the ends of the sign adapted to lie in the throats of the said hook-shaped supports; and a lockingspring also secured to the hood and projecting over the sign whereby it is adapted to engage the side of the sign which is uppermost, substantially as described.

3'. A street-car sign comprising a reversible supporting frame; supports for the said frame secured to and projecting downward from the under side of the hood of the car at the rear of the edge thereof; a locking device adapted to engage the side of the 'said frame which is uppermost, the said locking device also being secured to the under side of the hood; and sign-slides fitting the said frame, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the sign mounted below the roof of the car; of a reflector in front of the'sign; and lamps between said reflector and sign, said lamps and reflector being below the roof of the car but far enough above the sign not to obscure the same from View, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES S. SERGEANT. HARRY L. LIBBY.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. LIVERMORE, J As. J. MALONEY. 

